Jordanian prisoner resumes hunger strike

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)– The Jordanian prisoner Abdullah Abu Jaber, who is currently serving a 20 year sentence in Israeli jails, restarted his hunger strike on December 27.

Hanan al-Khatib, a lawyer with the Prisoners and Former Prisoners’ Affairs Committee, affirmed that Abu Jaber resumed his hunger strike on Dec. 27th after Israeli authorities reneged on promises to release him.

Abu Jaber was demanding that Israel continues his treatment at al-Affula hospital, allows his family to visit him, allows him to contact the Jordanian ambassador, and eventually releases him to Jordanian authorities, the lawyer elaborated.

Abu Jaber told the lawyer that he had initially suspended his former strike on Sunday, after he met with an Israeli intelligence officer who allegedly promised to meet his demands.

However, Abu Jaber was transferred back to Ramla prison hospital where the Israeli intelligence officer allegedly apologized to him saying that his demands would not be met.

Abu Jaber immediately restarted his hunger strike, the lawyer said.

The lawyer affirmed that Abu Jaber was then moved to solitary confinement along with the journalist hunger striker Mohamed al-Qiq. Ramla prison hospital’s director has brutally assaulted him, she continued.

Abu Jaber has been rejecting medical examinations and vitamins although he lost 18 kg of his weight.

Three days ago, the Jordanian consular visited Abu Jaber once he has resumed his hunger strike, he said, adding that he told the consular that he wanted to spend his remaining sentence in Jordan.